City police get overall positive review in citizens' survey

By Times- News

Published: Friday, March 14, 2014 at 06:17 PM.

The Burlington Police Department has released results from a communitywide survey it conducted earlier this year, with answers showing the department is generally perceived as professional and well-trusted, though it could improve proactive policing measures and making residents feel safer in their neighborhoods.

During January and February, the city solicited opinions from residents through a brief survey available online and in paper at select locations.

Department managers wanted to know how residents felt about the agency’s work, according to a news release from the city. Almost 300 residents took the survey.

On a scale of 1 to 5, survey respondents rated safety in Burlington at 3.78, police trustworthiness at 4.13, police professionalism at 4.11, police proactivity at 3.6, access to the police for information and assistance at 3.75 and overall satisfaction with the police at 3.97.

Comparing the results to letter grades, the survey indicates the department is making A’s and B’s.

“Always being the over-achiever, I would like my police department to have straight A’s,” Chief Jeffrey Smythe said.

As part of police efforts to become a “straight A” department, residents will soon see ongoing efforts to survey them on their experiences with the police as they have them. Very brief online surveys will be available to every individual who has an interaction with the Burlington Police Department. During interactions with the public, officers will soon hand out business cards that include a link to the survey and a place to write down a case number, said Assistant Chief Chris Verdeck.

The department says information collected through this ongoing feedback gathering effort will be used to modify the its techniques and to help draft a five-year strategic plan for growth.

The Burlington Police Department has released results from a communitywide survey it conducted earlier this year, with answers showing the department is generally perceived as professional and well-trusted, though it could improve proactive policing measures and making residents feel safer in their neighborhoods.

During January and February, the city solicited opinions from residents through a brief survey available online and in paper at select locations.

Department managers wanted to know how residents felt about the agency’s work, according to a news release from the city. Almost 300 residents took the survey.

On a scale of 1 to 5, survey respondents rated safety in Burlington at 3.78, police trustworthiness at 4.13, police professionalism at 4.11, police proactivity at 3.6, access to the police for information and assistance at 3.75 and overall satisfaction with the police at 3.97.

Comparing the results to letter grades, the survey indicates the department is making A’s and B’s.

“Always being the over-achiever, I would like my police department to have straight A’s,” Chief Jeffrey Smythe said.

As part of police efforts to become a “straight A” department, residents will soon see ongoing efforts to survey them on their experiences with the police as they have them. Very brief online surveys will be available to every individual who has an interaction with the Burlington Police Department. During interactions with the public, officers will soon hand out business cards that include a link to the survey and a place to write down a case number, said Assistant Chief Chris Verdeck.

The department says information collected through this ongoing feedback gathering effort will be used to modify the its techniques and to help draft a five-year strategic plan for growth.